# US 7,607,696 B2 · Adjustable steering column for a motor vehicle > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,607,696 B2 - Document ID: US7607696B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/153,775 - Filed: 2008-05-23 - Published: 2008-10-23 - Granted: 2009-10-27 - Earliest claimed: 2005-11-24 - Assignees: Thyssenkrupp Presta AG - Inventors: Eugen Graf - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7607696B2 ## CPC - B62D 1/184: Mechanisms for locking columns at selected positions - B62D 1/192: {Yieldable or collapsible columns} - B62D 1/195: {Yieldable supports for the steering column} - B62D: MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS (steering, or guiding on a desired track, of agricultural machines or implements A01B69/00; wheels, castors, axles, increasing wheel adhesion B60B; vehicle tyres, tyre inflation or tyre changing B60C; connections between vehicles of a train or the like B60D; vehicles for use on rail and road, amphibious or convertible vehicles B60F; suspension arrangements B60G; heating, cooling, ventilating or other air treating devices B60H; windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors or similar devices, protective coverings for vehicles not in use B60J; propulsion plant arrangements, auxiliary drives, transmissions, controls, instrumentation or dashboards B60K; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L; power supply for electrically-propelled vehicles B60M; passenger accommodation not otherwise provided for B60N; adaptations for load transportation or to carry special loads or objects B60P; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q; vehicles, vehicle fittings or vehicle parts not otherwise provided for B60R; servicing, cleaning, repairing, supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring, not otherwise provided for, B60S; brake arrangements, brake control systems or parts thereof B60T; air-cushion vehicles B60V; motor-cycles, accessories therefor B62J, B62K; testing of vehicles G01M) ## Abstract An adjustable steering column for a motor vehicle includes a setting unit displaceable in at least one displacement direction for setting the position of the steering column, a holding unit nondisplaceable into this displacement direction, a securement device, in the opened state of which the setting unit (4) is displaceable with respect to the holding unit for setting the position of the steering column and in the closed state of which the setting unit (4) is secured in position by the securement device, and a crash blocking device, which is displaceable between a passive state and an active state. The blocking device raises an additional holding force against a displacement of the setting unit with respect to the holding unit into at least one displacement direction. The crash blocking device includes at least one blocking element with at least two blocking noses between which a plate part is located or between which two plate parts are located, and which in the active state of the crash blocking device are in contact on both sides on this plate part or on the plate parts. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An adjustable steering column for a motor vehicle comprising: a setting unit displaceable into at least one displacement direction for setting the position of the steering column, a holding unit nondisplaceable into the at least one displacement direction, a securement device, in an opened state of which the setting unit is displaceable with respect to the holding unit for setting a position of the steering column and in a closed state of which the setting unit is secured in position by the securement device, and a crash blocking device displaceable between a passive state, in which the setting unit is displaceable with respect to the holding unit in the opened state of the securement device for setting the position of the steering column, and an active state, in which the crash blocking device raises an additional holding force against a displacement of the setting unit with respect to the holding unit in at least one displacement direction, wherein the crash blocking device has one of a first configuration and a second configuration, the crash blocking device having the first configuration comprises at least one blocking element with at least two blocking noses, a plate part being located between the at least two blocking noses, and in the active state of the crash blocking device, the at least two blocking noses are in contact on opposite sides of the plate part, and wherein either the blocking element is connected with the holding unit such that it is nonshiftable into the displacement direction in which the blocking element is effective and the plate part is connected with the setting unit nonshiftable into this displacement direction, or the blocking element is connected with the setting unit nonshiftable into the displacement direction in which the blocking element is effective and the plate part is connected with the holding unit nonshiftable into this displacement direction, and the crash blocking device having the second configuration comprises at least one blocking element with at least two blocking noses, two plate parts in contact with one another being located between the at least two blocking noses, and in the active state of the crash blocking device, the at least two blocking noses are in contact with the surfaces, facing away from one another, of the two plate parts, and wherein one of the two plate parts is connected with the holding unit such that it is nonshiftable into the displacement direction in which the blocking element is effective, and the other of the two plate parts is connected with the setting unit such that it is nonshiftable into this displacement direction. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The adjustable steering column as claimed in claim 1, wherein the blocking element can be turned out of position about an axis with respect to at least one of the plate parts, the axis being parallel to a plane of the at least one of the plate parts and at right angles to the displacement direction in which this blocking element is effective. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The adjustable steering column as claimed in claim 1, wherein in the passive state of the crash blocking device at least one of the blocking noses cooperating with a surface of at least one of the two plate parts is raised from the surface. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The adjustable steering column as claimed in claim 3, wherein the blocking element upon a displacement rotates between the passive state and the active state of the crash blocking device about an axis parallel to the at least one of the plate parts and perpendicular to the displacement direction. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The adjustable steering column as claimed in claim 1, wherein through a coupling of the crash blocking device with the securement device the crash blocking device is displaced during the opening of the securement device from its active state into its passive state and during the closing of the securement device from its passive state into its active state. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The adjustable steering column as claimed in claim 1, wherein the crash blocking device is integrated into the securement device. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The adjustable steering column as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of the blocking noses has an area segment directed toward at least one of the plate parts, the segment forming, in the active state of the crash blocking device with the surface of this plate part an angle (α) which, at least unless the crash event has occurred, is greater than 0° and less than 10°, and one end of this area segment of the at least one of the blocking noses is in contact with the surface of at least one of the plate parts. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The adjustable steering column as claimed in claim 7, wherein this area segment in the passive state of the crash blocking device forms with the surface of the at least one of the plate parts an angle (α) of approximately 0° and is raised away from the surface of the at least one of the plate parts. ### Claim 9 (depends on 5) The adjustable steering column as claimed in claim 5, wherein a clamp bolt of the securement device bears a facing holder displaceable in the axial direction of the clamp bolt, the holder during the opening of the securement device comes into contact with the blocking element and raises at least one blocking nose located on one side of at least one of the plate parts from the at least one of the plate parts. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The adjustable steering column as claimed in claim 1, wherein the additional holding force of the crash blocking device is generated by scraping of at least one of the blocking noses on the surface of at least one of the plate parts. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The adjustable steering column as claimed in claim 1, wherein the additional holding force of the crash blocking device is generated by parting material from the surface of at least one of the plate parts via at least one of the blocking noses. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The adjustable steering column as claimed in claim 1, wherein the additional holding force of the crash blocking device is raised by a form locking which is brought about by the digging of at least one of the blocking noses into the surface of at least one of the plate parts. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The adjustable steering column as claimed in claim 1, wherein the blocking element with its blocking noses encompasses at least one longitudinal edge, extending parallel to the displacement direction in which the blocking element is effective, of at least one of the plate parts or a cutout in the at least one of the plate parts. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The adjustable steering column as claimed in claim 1, wherein the blocking element penetrates a cutout in at least one of the plate parts which is developed in the form of an elongated hole, extending parallel to the displacement direction in which the blocking element is effective, and the blocking element comprises on two opposite sides at least one blocking nose each and the blocking noses are located on both sides of the at least one of the plate parts. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The adjustable steering column as claimed in claim 1, wherein the blocking element is disposed on a clamp bolt of the securement device and is connected with the clamp bolt nonshiftably into the displacement direction in which it is effective, and the clamp bolt is connected with the holding unit or the setting unit nonshiftably into the displacement direction and at least one of the plate parts is connected nonshiftably with the other of holding unit or the setting unit. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The adjustable steering column as claimed in claim 1, wherein a blocking element is provided effective in a displacement direction corresponding to the length adjustment of the steering column. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The adjustable steering column as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of the plate parts is formed by at least a portion of a side jaw of the setting unit or at least a portion of a side jaw of the holding unit. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The adjustable steering column as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one blocking nose of the blocking element includes a pointed or a blade-form end the pointed or blade-form end being in contact with at least one of the plate parts at least in the active state of the crash blocking device. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The adjustable steering column as claimed in claim 1, wherein in the active state of the crash blocking device the blocking noses are brought into engagement with at least one of the plate parts such that with an incipient shift (vc) of the at least one of the plate parts relative to the blocking element into the direction parallel to the displacement direction, in which the blocking element is effective, a holding force results additional to the holding force raised by the blocking element counteracting the further shift. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The adjustable steering column as claimed in claim 1, wherein with an incipient shift (vc) of at least one of the plate parts relative to the blocking element in the direction parallel to the displacement direction in which the blocking element is effective, a torque results acting onto the blocking element, through which at least one of the blocking noses is pressed more strongly onto the at least one of the plate parts. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) The adjustable steering column as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a spring which in the closed state of the securement device acts upon the blocking element into a position corresponding to the active state of the crash blocking device. ### Claim 22 (depends on 1) The adjustable steering column as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of the plate parts is located in a plane oriented parallel to the displacement direction in which acts the blocking element cooperating with the at least one of the plate parts. ### Claim 23 (depends on 1) The adjustable steering column as claimed in claim 1, wherein the blocking noses in the active state of the crash blocking device are in contact with a main surface of at least one of the plate parts.